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Mourning Dove Mysteries #1
Omicidio sul lago di fuoco
A ventitré anni, e con un noto caso alle spalle, Emory Rome ha già ottenuto fama come agente speciale del Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Sta facendo carriera rapidamente, ma il salto si interrompe quando gli viene assegnato un caso che avrebbe voluto evitare: un misterioso omicidio nella cittadina delle Smoky Mountains da cui si è allontanato. La bizzarra morte di una pattinatrice, un tempo destinata ai professionisti, è presto seguita da un apparente caso di auto combustione. Nella piccola cittadina, i segreti di Rome giacciono appena sotto la superficie. La fretta di trovare il colpevole prima che colpisca di nuovo lo scaglia contro un abile investigatore privato, Jeff Woodard. L’investigatore privato è attraente, sveglio e seducente, e potrebbe essere l’assassino che Rome sta cercando.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2017
106 people are currently reading
1215 people want to read
About the author
Mikel J. Wilson
8 books128 followersMikel J. Wilson is an award-winning mystery and science fiction author. Wilson draws on his Southern roots for the international bestselling Mourning Dove Mysteries, a series of novels featuring bizarre murders in the Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee. The series adheres to a “no guns or knives policy" and includes Murder on the Lake of Fire, Death Opens a Window and A Light to Kill By.
Wilson is also the author of Sedona: The Lost Vortex, a contemporary science-fiction novel centered on the unique mythology of this mystical Northern Arizona town, known for energy vortexes and alien encounters. The novel celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a special new edition in 2021 and the promise of a sequel in 2023.
Wilson is also the author of Sedona: The Lost Vortex, a contemporary science-fiction novel centered on the unique mythology of this mystical Northern Arizona town, known for energy vortexes and alien encounters. The novel celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a special new edition in 2021 and the promise of a sequel in 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
November 16, 2017
4.5 Stars
MURDER ON THE LAKE OF FIRE by MIKEL J. WILSON
Emory Rome, Special Agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, is requested by the Sheriff to return to his hometown to solve a particularly brutal murder. The sheriff just happens to be Emory's father and Emory doesn't have especially good memories of the town .. or the people in it.
A teen-age girl has been murdered while she was ice-skating. Soon after, her coach is killed .. a case of spontaneous combustion. Strange deaths, indeed.
It seems that he's going to get help solving these murders even if he doesn't want or need it. PI Jeff Woodard is hired by the girl's to find his daughter's killer.
The main characters are fun to watch as they interact with each other. They are so full of life, they seem to leap from the pages. Secondary characters are fully formed which lend an air of credibility.
The premise is a good one ... featuring a rather unique way to knock off the victims. Suspects are plentiful, and they each seem to have secrets or are unable to tell the truth for one reason or another. There are a few twists and turns along the way and a surprising ending.
Murder mysteries are my favored genre, and this is a good one. A new author to me, I look forward to seeing more in this possible series.
Many thanks to the author / TBC Reviewer Request for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
MURDER ON THE LAKE OF FIRE by MIKEL J. WILSON
Emory Rome, Special Agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, is requested by the Sheriff to return to his hometown to solve a particularly brutal murder. The sheriff just happens to be Emory's father and Emory doesn't have especially good memories of the town .. or the people in it.
A teen-age girl has been murdered while she was ice-skating. Soon after, her coach is killed .. a case of spontaneous combustion. Strange deaths, indeed.
It seems that he's going to get help solving these murders even if he doesn't want or need it. PI Jeff Woodard is hired by the girl's to find his daughter's killer.
The main characters are fun to watch as they interact with each other. They are so full of life, they seem to leap from the pages. Secondary characters are fully formed which lend an air of credibility.
The premise is a good one ... featuring a rather unique way to knock off the victims. Suspects are plentiful, and they each seem to have secrets or are unable to tell the truth for one reason or another. There are a few twists and turns along the way and a surprising ending.
Murder mysteries are my favored genre, and this is a good one. A new author to me, I look forward to seeing more in this possible series.
Many thanks to the author / TBC Reviewer Request for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 21, 2018
With each passing chapter, Mikel J. Wilson builds the characters and the plot, unveiling a new twist. Besides mystery, there are other elements ranging form humor to serious topics, beautifully woven together. But perhaps most importantly, it was a fun, great read. I look forward to other books in this series and the evolution of the protagonists.
October 22, 2017
I was one of the first readers of Murder on the Lake of Fire and one of the first to discover this gripping new mystery series. The crimes are extraordinary, the characters are engaging, and the twisty plot is a fast-paced. I'm looking forward to the next book!
July 6, 2018
DNFd at 15%. Much too much in the way of sophomoric ideas (what the heck is happening between Emory and his father ?) and head hopping for my taste. Either keep the focus on one character for the whole of a chapter or a section and have the POVs alternate according to a fixed pattern, if so you wish, or tell the story without any focalization at all, just do not routinely give us abrupt, random changes in POV, for this makes the reading needlessly painful. The uniformly convoluted and pompous writing is so obtrusive, so full of forced metaphors or similes which fall flat, that it erects further obstacles in the path of the reader : who but a self-conscious poser, pray tell, pens hundred instances of such tasteless sentences as "the town poured from the eponymous ridge connecting two Smoky Mountains, as if it had spilled over from the valley on the other side" or "half a minute later, a woman dressed in a maid's uniform with a grey face and no muscle or fat to keep the skin from gnarling over her bones, answered the door" ? There is indeed quite a difference between cultivating a high-brow style of narrating and indulding in the grandstanding to which conceited prose amounts in the hands of a mediocre stylist, as is the case here : the former enriches the literary experience, by giving it flesh and blood, whereas the latter, by dint of fattening the narrative with needless flourishes and asides, makes for a tedious reading without contributing substantively to the storytelling and the progress of the mystery.
July 15, 2017
So excited for the release of this book!! A must-read page-turning mystery.
March 15, 2021
Un buon thriller, con una leggera sfumatura romance m/m e doppio colpo di scena finale .
December 31, 2017
I really wanted to like this one, but it fell flat for me. There was nothing special about this book. The characters were ok but not great, the mystery had an interesting start but then the plot went on at snail's pace. It felt like 500 pages instead of 300. Overall, the book left me indifferent.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2017
Badly written, cheesy as hell and the twist was disgusting. I’m reclaiming the time I spent reading this drivel.
October 8, 2021
The first pages opens with the fiery death of an ice skater on a frozen lake. How in the world did that happen?
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Emory Rome is only 23 years old with a big drug bust to his credit. He's sent to Barter Ridge, TN to investigate this death. Why does he have to take pills to be there? Once there, he encounters private investigator Jeff Woodard who is being paid by the family to find out what really happened.
Emory Rome - - what a great name. However, I liked Jeff's character better. At least to me, Emory came across as very young at times, easily embarrassed (lots of red faces), and constantly giving in to his dad even when he seemed wrong. I wanted a stronger character. I'm being hard on poor Emory but he affected my rating.
Someone in a a white ski mask with a red smile stitched on it - and the reaction was simply that's weird? Not buying that.
On the other hand, the manner of death was creative and I will remember that part of the story. I liked the ending also.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Emory Rome is only 23 years old with a big drug bust to his credit. He's sent to Barter Ridge, TN to investigate this death. Why does he have to take pills to be there? Once there, he encounters private investigator Jeff Woodard who is being paid by the family to find out what really happened.
Emory Rome - - what a great name. However, I liked Jeff's character better. At least to me, Emory came across as very young at times, easily embarrassed (lots of red faces), and constantly giving in to his dad even when he seemed wrong. I wanted a stronger character. I'm being hard on poor Emory but he affected my rating.
Someone in a a white ski mask with a red smile stitched on it - and the reaction was simply that's weird? Not buying that.
On the other hand, the manner of death was creative and I will remember that part of the story. I liked the ending also.
November 25, 2017
Emory is the Special Agent In Charge at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. He has just come off a case when his boss sends him and his partner Wayne on a new assignment to look into the murder of Britt Algarotti. When Emory finds out the location, his whole body tenses up and fills with dread. Barter Ridge. His hometown.
Upon the meeting of the victims father he meets Jeff, a private investigator hired by the victims father. He is irritated with the PI knowing he will just get in the way and muddy the investigation for him. But he is intrigued by Jeff's good looks and gorgeous green eyes.
When the investigation leads them to another murdered victim and the clues lead to the water company owned by the victims father, they realize there may be more to the case than the original murder. As they get closer to solving this case more lives are put into jeopardy. Will Emory be able to solve this case before someone else dies? Will Emory be able to fight the attraction to Jeff, especially since some of the leads point to him?
OMG this book is so good!!! An action packed thriller that had me on the edge of my seat biting off my nails. There was action from page one and it continued throughout the whole book. Never a dull moment. And the characters. WOW! They were so engaging and interesting. They leap right off the pages and invite you in. I became so invested in the book, I wanted to solve the murder right along with them.
I love all the neat little tidbits that were inserted into the story. Things like a speakeasy and the unique ways the killer used to off his/her victims. These things made the book even more interesting. That along with the developed characters and settings makes this book worthy of a Best Sellers List.
Let me tell you, this book has some major WTF twists to it. I mean I thought I had it all figured out and then I was proved wrong time and time again. It literally floored me. This series could be the next Alex Cross series. It is that good. I can't wait to read another one. Mikel Wilson left the story ending with a great opening for another novel. So Mikel if you are reading this review, hurry up I need more. wink wink
*ARC provided by Xpresso Book Tours and Mikel Wilson
Upon the meeting of the victims father he meets Jeff, a private investigator hired by the victims father. He is irritated with the PI knowing he will just get in the way and muddy the investigation for him. But he is intrigued by Jeff's good looks and gorgeous green eyes.
When the investigation leads them to another murdered victim and the clues lead to the water company owned by the victims father, they realize there may be more to the case than the original murder. As they get closer to solving this case more lives are put into jeopardy. Will Emory be able to solve this case before someone else dies? Will Emory be able to fight the attraction to Jeff, especially since some of the leads point to him?
OMG this book is so good!!! An action packed thriller that had me on the edge of my seat biting off my nails. There was action from page one and it continued throughout the whole book. Never a dull moment. And the characters. WOW! They were so engaging and interesting. They leap right off the pages and invite you in. I became so invested in the book, I wanted to solve the murder right along with them.
I love all the neat little tidbits that were inserted into the story. Things like a speakeasy and the unique ways the killer used to off his/her victims. These things made the book even more interesting. That along with the developed characters and settings makes this book worthy of a Best Sellers List.
Let me tell you, this book has some major WTF twists to it. I mean I thought I had it all figured out and then I was proved wrong time and time again. It literally floored me. This series could be the next Alex Cross series. It is that good. I can't wait to read another one. Mikel Wilson left the story ending with a great opening for another novel. So Mikel if you are reading this review, hurry up I need more. wink wink
*ARC provided by Xpresso Book Tours and Mikel Wilson
November 30, 2017
Wow, I absolutely loved Murder on the Lake of Fire. It was gripping, fast-paced with some brilliant main characters who I loved.
Emory Rome is a young special agent who has been called in to investigate a bizarre death in a quiet town. He knows the town well due to growing up there but leaving a few years back. I loved everything about this book, the murders were fabulous and completely different to anything I've read before. I loved Emory and the private investigator he met, Jeff.
Mikel Wilson's writing was great, I couldn't put the book down! The story was different to what I was expecting with a few red herrings thrown in but the ending wasn't that surprising however this didn't detract from the story. I still loved it!
I'm looking forward to reading more of this series, I can see it becoming a new favourite of mine! It's a highly recommended read if you love murder mysteries.
Emory Rome is a young special agent who has been called in to investigate a bizarre death in a quiet town. He knows the town well due to growing up there but leaving a few years back. I loved everything about this book, the murders were fabulous and completely different to anything I've read before. I loved Emory and the private investigator he met, Jeff.
Mikel Wilson's writing was great, I couldn't put the book down! The story was different to what I was expecting with a few red herrings thrown in but the ending wasn't that surprising however this didn't detract from the story. I still loved it!
I'm looking forward to reading more of this series, I can see it becoming a new favourite of mine! It's a highly recommended read if you love murder mysteries.
October 29, 2017
Holy cow! This book was so crazy, but crazy good. I'll be honest, I don't read blurbs, only genres. So I wasn't sure what I was getting into, I said holy shit many times through out this book. I will be writing a full review on aconitecafe.com but if you're into murder mysteries read this book!
The only negative that I came across, was there were a few points that the writer flat out gave away the foreshadowing word for word instead of letting their writing do the talking. Also the point of view changes from character to character within chapters and that was a little unsettling but you get used to it after a few changes.
The only negative that I came across, was there were a few points that the writer flat out gave away the foreshadowing word for word instead of letting their writing do the talking. Also the point of view changes from character to character within chapters and that was a little unsettling but you get used to it after a few changes.
February 12, 2018
When I first started Murder on the Lake of Fire, I thought the plot was super interesting and I could not wait to see what plot twists the author would add and what surprises I would find, but I feel like nothing really surprised me. I wasn't shocked by anything and it made the book boring. The author made everything that was going to happen later in the book clear even though you could tell he was trying to hide it and make it difficult to figure out. The fact that most parts were so clear and in your face made the characters seem really clueless too. When Emory and Jeff found any evidence that could potentially help them, they sometimes just ignored it completely. They had no problem breaking down doors to get the evidence, but when it was time to question someone about it and that person did not want to be questioned, they just moved on. I can see how Jeff, having never had any training, could pass by these things, but it doesn't make any sense for a trained professional like Emory to be ignoring the evidence. Also, for some reason the author couldn't decide whether he should write Emory as a rule follower or not. At one point he refuses to enter a water factory, because even though the door was technically open, he did not want to risk breaking the law. Later in the book he breaks down two doors because technically if he knocked first (even though he knew there was nobody in the room at the time) he had the right. I also understand that this book is supposed to be the first in a series, but the way the author tried to make a plot line that would tie into the next book was out of place in this one. There were about two occasions when a man in a terrifying ski mask watched the detectives from outside of their homes and neither of them even thought to look into it. Its like they forgot about it until the last page. Some good aspects of the book were that all the characters, even side characters, were very well-developed and the ending actually had me interested. Also the parts throughout the book about Britt's brother Ian and how truly messed up he was caught my attention. He was definitely one of the more interesting characters in my opinion.
November 26, 2017
Murder on the lake of fire by mikel j wilson.
At twenty-three and with a notorious case under his belt, Emory Rome has already garnered fame as a talented special agent for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. His career is leapfrogging over his colleagues, but the jumping stops when he's assigned a case he fought to avoid - an eerie murder in the Smoky Mountain hometown he had abandoned.
A very enjoyable read. Lots of action and bombs too. Didn't expect it to turn out like that. 4*. Tbc on fb.
At twenty-three and with a notorious case under his belt, Emory Rome has already garnered fame as a talented special agent for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. His career is leapfrogging over his colleagues, but the jumping stops when he's assigned a case he fought to avoid - an eerie murder in the Smoky Mountain hometown he had abandoned.
A very enjoyable read. Lots of action and bombs too. Didn't expect it to turn out like that. 4*. Tbc on fb.
dnf
July 5, 2018I managed to read 40 pages of this but now I'm done. The writing style is really not my thing, it's too wordy in places were it doesn't fit, from time to time it gets abstruse (let me just mention the bobcat) and I really don't care about anything that might happen furthermore. I have no idea where all these great reviews are coming from.
One thing is for sure - this series is not for me and I'll give the next book a pass.
One thing is for sure - this series is not for me and I'll give the next book a pass.
August 22, 2017
I was lucky enough to read this Murder on the Lake of Fire before its publication, and I absolutely LOVED all the twists and turns and completely surprise ending. The two main characters were so likable and fun. I can't wait to read the second book in this series. I highly recommend this book!
December 1, 2017
Murder on the Lake of Fire is a gripping story of intrigue, mystery and murder. Tormented special agent, Emory Rome, is sent on an investigation that is equal parts self-discovery and nail-biting suspense. Wilson's writing is pure poetry. A page turning, must read book!
November 20, 2021
4.25 stars
October 27, 2017
This book has restored my faith in mysteries! I read a lot of books, but have shied away from mysteries lately, because most of them make it too easy to guess the villain, or have a ho-hum story followed by a surprise twist. This book, however, kept me page-turning late into the night with a unique voice, great descriptions, and fun characters. Even better, this book kept me guessing to the end, but the villain ended up being the last person I would have suspected--even though all the clues were there. I am hoping that new books appear in this series ASAP as I long for more mysteries that really incorporate clues, storytelling and great characters. This was an eerie, well-written, and fun book.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
April 19, 2021
I stuck with this to see the mystery solved, but this writing didn’t work for me. Flat characters; unconvincing investigative work; strange word choices and odd, distracting descriptions; plus a couple of unlikely plot points made this unsatisfying.
Examples of the writing that bugged me:
The man erected himself without using his hands and walked….
School and skating expended her time.
Emory became transfixed by his crystal green eyes, and his fortitude quaked.
As his thoughts flagellated him for his poor choices, Emory…
Sheriff Rome’s wrinkles dropped from his forehead to center around his squinting eyes.
Abigail’s eyes squished together. (How does one do this?)
The corner of Emory’s lips pinched into his cheek.
Emory pushed his eyebrows together. (As if this is something you do deliberately.)
Victor leeched his palm onto his forehead.
He glanced at his father, whose lips were now a nickel’s diameter apart.
And no one sneers (7 times) or snarls (13 times) as much as these people did.
I bought book 2 at the same time because they were both 99c, but I didn’t come to care enough about the MCs (I forgot their names in the few days since I read it) to continue with this type of writing.
Examples of the writing that bugged me:
The man erected himself without using his hands and walked….
School and skating expended her time.
Emory became transfixed by his crystal green eyes, and his fortitude quaked.
As his thoughts flagellated him for his poor choices, Emory…
Sheriff Rome’s wrinkles dropped from his forehead to center around his squinting eyes.
Abigail’s eyes squished together. (How does one do this?)
The corner of Emory’s lips pinched into his cheek.
Emory pushed his eyebrows together. (As if this is something you do deliberately.)
Victor leeched his palm onto his forehead.
He glanced at his father, whose lips were now a nickel’s diameter apart.
And no one sneers (7 times) or snarls (13 times) as much as these people did.
I bought book 2 at the same time because they were both 99c, but I didn’t come to care enough about the MCs (I forgot their names in the few days since I read it) to continue with this type of writing.
October 30, 2017
I usually don't sit for long stretches reading books, but found myself drawn to this one. Mysteries are my favorite genre though, and this is a good one.
Mikel Wilson definitely has a knack for character development. He's able to pick out those few important elements such as eyes and expression that are able to give a clear picture in the reader's mind without being overly descriptive and slowing the pace of the storyline. He's able to touch on subtleties in the conversations...and is really effective at conveying a lot of meaning through a simple action or response. This is not a book to read while distracted because you'll miss a lot of what is going on.
I also like that this was more of a mystery in the classic sense of a whodunit. The answers in the book are let out in a slow drip of information that kept me guessing until the end...and there is a small twist at the end I really liked.
I would say the only thing I'd like to see in the book is more description of the setting. The setting of the story...small town, rural Tennessee...is a really unique and beautiful place...while touched on, I would like to have seen more of those elements in the novel.
Understand this is a series. Good. I look forward to the next one. :)
Mikel Wilson definitely has a knack for character development. He's able to pick out those few important elements such as eyes and expression that are able to give a clear picture in the reader's mind without being overly descriptive and slowing the pace of the storyline. He's able to touch on subtleties in the conversations...and is really effective at conveying a lot of meaning through a simple action or response. This is not a book to read while distracted because you'll miss a lot of what is going on.
I also like that this was more of a mystery in the classic sense of a whodunit. The answers in the book are let out in a slow drip of information that kept me guessing until the end...and there is a small twist at the end I really liked.
I would say the only thing I'd like to see in the book is more description of the setting. The setting of the story...small town, rural Tennessee...is a really unique and beautiful place...while touched on, I would like to have seen more of those elements in the novel.
Understand this is a series. Good. I look forward to the next one. :)
November 29, 2017
Murder on the Lake of Fire by Mikel J Wilson
Twenty-three-year-old Emory Rome has his dream job as an investigator for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Already well known In law enforcement circles for the way he solved a notorious drug case, he is well on his way to big things in the Knoxville Office, when his boss gets a call for assistance from the sheriff of a small town. A promising high school figure skater has been burned to death while practicing outdoors on a frozen lake in Barter Ridge, Tennessee. Emory doesn’t want to take the case but does because the sheriff asked for him by name. Sheriff Rome is his father.
But solving the case isn’t Emory’s only problem. He’s got to overcome his distastes of Barter Ridge, where he hasn’t been since college; his growing attraction to the private investigator hired by the victim’s father, and his doubts about his abilities as a lawman. Then, another murder by burning complicates things. Is this a serial killer or a copycat? Or is this unrelated? Read Mikel Wilson’s inventive new novel Murder on the Lake of Fire to find out.
Twenty-three-year-old Emory Rome has his dream job as an investigator for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Already well known In law enforcement circles for the way he solved a notorious drug case, he is well on his way to big things in the Knoxville Office, when his boss gets a call for assistance from the sheriff of a small town. A promising high school figure skater has been burned to death while practicing outdoors on a frozen lake in Barter Ridge, Tennessee. Emory doesn’t want to take the case but does because the sheriff asked for him by name. Sheriff Rome is his father.
But solving the case isn’t Emory’s only problem. He’s got to overcome his distastes of Barter Ridge, where he hasn’t been since college; his growing attraction to the private investigator hired by the victim’s father, and his doubts about his abilities as a lawman. Then, another murder by burning complicates things. Is this a serial killer or a copycat? Or is this unrelated? Read Mikel Wilson’s inventive new novel Murder on the Lake of Fire to find out.
October 23, 2017
I couldn't wait to read Murder on the Lake of Fire, and once I began, I couldn't put it down. I was hooked from p. 1 and read it--cover to cover--in one evening. (Well, early into the next morning!)
Emory Rome, the protagonist, has already been through so much in such a short lifetime, but even he has more to learn about himself and the strength of character that he'll call upon. It's as much of a journey for Rome as it is for the reader, and every character--both good and bad (and there are plenty of BAD)-- is developed with such depth and clarity. Oh. And what an ending! It's a definite nail biter, and I can't wait to see where Rome's journey takes him next.
Emory Rome, the protagonist, has already been through so much in such a short lifetime, but even he has more to learn about himself and the strength of character that he'll call upon. It's as much of a journey for Rome as it is for the reader, and every character--both good and bad (and there are plenty of BAD)-- is developed with such depth and clarity. Oh. And what an ending! It's a definite nail biter, and I can't wait to see where Rome's journey takes him next.
November 29, 2017
Wow! I loved how twisted this mystery/suspense had me guessing and then second guessing myself. Special Agent Emory Rome has all sorts of intrigue surrounding his past when he returns to the small town he grew up in for his next case. PI Jeff Woodard definitely added his own special take as a competing investigator and the banter between the two was quite entertaining. Light on the romance, I enjoyed how the secrets unraveled and the clever attention to every detail. It's always fun to try to solve the puzzle yourself, but I didn't even figure out every piece. The best books always leave you a little surprised in the end.
January 6, 2018
Ok so I didn't love this book at all. I had some severe problems with the writing style. The mystery was decent, but something about this author's style bothered me throughout the entire story. There were a lot of coincidences that just happened to make things work and people's reactions that didn't feel like the rang true. This story read quickly but I just couldn't really enjoy it.
April 13, 2018
Took me foreeever to read, thought about dnfing it multiple times.
The characters were stupid, the writing was just not for me, at all. The story itself was not that interesting.
The majority of people reading this book has absolutely loved it. But I just did not see the appeal.
Will not read the sequels.
The characters were stupid, the writing was just not for me, at all. The story itself was not that interesting.
The majority of people reading this book has absolutely loved it. But I just did not see the appeal.
Will not read the sequels.
October 29, 2017
It had been a while since I'd read a good old-fashioned murder mystery. And while Murder on the Lake of Fire is certainly not old-fashioned in context, its structure is comfortably reminiscent of those detective novels I loved so long ago. The twists and turns of a good who-done-it, the sometimes serious, sometimes campy characters you can't help but love and, of course, those quietly addictive "aha" moments when the mystery begins to unravel and the truth is slowly revealed. In this book, author Mikel Wilson provides a true escape from the somber discourse that fills our news and social media. In the guise of a complex murder mystery, he transports you to a small Smoky Mountain town where Southern charm struggles to exist, small-town sheriff's have their own homespun interpretations of the law and the simple life is never as simple as it seems. In the end you'll feel satisfied - whether you've already figured the mystery out or not. A few days later you'll begin thinking about what else is in store for the characters you've come to know. And that's a good thing. Wilson promises Book 2 of the series won't be far behind.
December 5, 2017
Murder on the Lake of Fire is the first in the Mourning Dove Mysteries series, and was a fantastic start to it too. Wilson is a new author to me, and when I read the blurb for this, I knew it would be one I could dive in to and try and unravel the mystery along with them. It turned out to be a great murder mystery with a little twist. And the setting was just a couple hours from where I live too.
Emory Rome’s career is well on it’s way, especially after the high profile case that he was part of was recently solved. The new case he is assigned to is going to take him back home to Barter Ridge, where he left as soon as could get out of there and really hasn’t looked back. But a teenage girl was been murdered while ice skating on the Barter Ridge’s lake and the FBI are called in to investigate and he has a job to do. The girls father has also hired a private investigator to do his own work as well. The deaths keep happening, and the race is on to find out who is behind them, if Emory and Jeff the PI can stay out of each others way.
There are some pretty amazing characters in this. But the two main ones, Emory and Jeff are so enjoyable to watch together, it was on the light side of romance, but still. It was obvious that there an attraction between them even if they tried to push it aside. But there is a murderer to catch. Let me tell you a little bit about Emory, he is a private person, and the things that happened to him when he lived in Barter Ridge he wants to stay in the past. But Mr. Jeff Woodard is smart, and has this air about him, he is confident in himself not to mention he is easy on the eyes too, so Emory does let his guard down a little which I was happy to see. Now the sheriff of this town happens to be Emory’s father. Can you say little bit of tension… The other characters that played parts were well developed and it was to dislike most of of them. There is always that one though…
The pacing was fast and non stop, suspense continually built and suspects were plenty. With little clues her and there, I thought I had it figured out who behind it all, Wilson threw in a twist that made me have to rethink all of it. Overall, this was a bone-chilling murder mystery, the characters were ones you want to root for and I can’t wait see what happens in the next installment in the series.
![”Jenea’s]()
Emory Rome’s career is well on it’s way, especially after the high profile case that he was part of was recently solved. The new case he is assigned to is going to take him back home to Barter Ridge, where he left as soon as could get out of there and really hasn’t looked back. But a teenage girl was been murdered while ice skating on the Barter Ridge’s lake and the FBI are called in to investigate and he has a job to do. The girls father has also hired a private investigator to do his own work as well. The deaths keep happening, and the race is on to find out who is behind them, if Emory and Jeff the PI can stay out of each others way.
There are some pretty amazing characters in this. But the two main ones, Emory and Jeff are so enjoyable to watch together, it was on the light side of romance, but still. It was obvious that there an attraction between them even if they tried to push it aside. But there is a murderer to catch. Let me tell you a little bit about Emory, he is a private person, and the things that happened to him when he lived in Barter Ridge he wants to stay in the past. But Mr. Jeff Woodard is smart, and has this air about him, he is confident in himself not to mention he is easy on the eyes too, so Emory does let his guard down a little which I was happy to see. Now the sheriff of this town happens to be Emory’s father. Can you say little bit of tension… The other characters that played parts were well developed and it was to dislike most of of them. There is always that one though…
The pacing was fast and non stop, suspense continually built and suspects were plenty. With little clues her and there, I thought I had it figured out who behind it all, Wilson threw in a twist that made me have to rethink all of it. Overall, this was a bone-chilling murder mystery, the characters were ones you want to root for and I can’t wait see what happens in the next installment in the series.
July 8, 2022
Book Blog | Bookstagram
DNF @ 25%
The notes I took while reading:
-A Gen X/Millenial needed a Nancy Kerrigan reference explained? Please.
-The religious stuff is too much for me
-Stupid cops, like the Sheriff won't take crime scene photos because it's "indecent" to take pictures of a dead body. WHAT
-Clearly has a romantic subplot which is always a NO from me, dawg
-LGBTQ+ rep, but the MC is clearly ashamed of himself or closeted and the plot plays up the homophobia around this.
Overall, not for me. Pedestrian writing and stupid investigation work.
#NetGalleyRead
DNF @ 25%
The notes I took while reading:
-A Gen X/Millenial needed a Nancy Kerrigan reference explained? Please.
-The religious stuff is too much for me
-Stupid cops, like the Sheriff won't take crime scene photos because it's "indecent" to take pictures of a dead body. WHAT
-Clearly has a romantic subplot which is always a NO from me, dawg
-LGBTQ+ rep, but the MC is clearly ashamed of himself or closeted and the plot plays up the homophobia around this.
Overall, not for me. Pedestrian writing and stupid investigation work.
#NetGalleyRead
December 5, 2017
Review coming closer to blog tour spot.
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